The following information
is provided by Tim Murphy
- [t.murphy@rmit.edu.au], distributed via news groups
and email and is updated here Monday evenings after the weekends
games. All credit for this information goes to Tim and is being
used with permission.
AFL State of Origin
State-of-Origin football is steadily
dying, crushed by the indifference of players, coaches and the
AFL. In addition to the usual swag of players withdrawing with
fictitious injuries, the media turned on the concept with unusual
cynicism this year (at least in Melbourne, I can't speak for
what went on in Adelaide or Perth). The AFL's defence of the
games was the weakest yet, threatening to ban players from All-Australian
selection if they withdrew for poor reasons. Gosh. A couple of
years ago it was suspension from AFL games. The AFL also came
in for criticism over the timing of the games, well into the
season and just 7 weeks before the finals. It was all a matter
of convenience for them, the MCG being unavailable this weekend
due to the Bledisloe Cup. Big deal. Waverley and Princes Park
could comfortably handle a round of footy in Melbourne. The AFL
have refused to guarantee the Origin games' continuation after
next year ? they won’t be played in 2000 because of the
shortened season.
Probably the most disappointing
thing was the absence of an impassioned
supporter of the concept speaking up. A bit hard when faced with
so much
negativity, but we really needed a Teddy Whitten or someone to
stir
things up. OK, so it mightn't be such a big deal since the advent
of the
Eagles and Crows, but some of the best games I've seen have been
origin
games and the best football of the 80s was played between SA,
WA and
Victoria. Done properly they're fantastic, and the difference
was
obvious even this weekend with teams competing in the absence
of taggers
and packed backlines. I hope Tim Lane was right ? even if it
goes now,
origin footy will be back as the draft jumbles up the lists.
Brent Crosswell is back writing
columns for the Age again - hopefully
they'll be on the website, check it for some of the funniest
and best
football writing around.
At the Gabba:
Allies 2.2 6.8 10.9 14.11.95
Victoria 6.4 8.10 13.13 22.16.148
The teams were selected thus:
VB: King (NM) Dunkley (Syd) Archer (NM)
AF: Cockatoo-Collins (Ess) White (Bris) Burns (Geel)
VHB: Smith (Foot) Colbert (Geel) Knights (Rich)
AHF: Hamill (Carl) Bowden (Rich) Hudson (Foot)
VC: Campbell (Rich) Hocking (Geel, v-c) Johnson (Foot)
AC: Akermanis (Bris) Cresswell (Syd, capt.) Harrison (Rich)
VHF: Mercuri (Ess) Loewe (StK) Lucas (Ess)
AHB: Seymour (Syd) Mooney (Syd) Young (StK)
VF: Hart (Bris) Lloyd (Ess) Thompson (StK)
AB: Blumfield (Ess) Dickfos (Bris) O’Connor (Ess)
VFoll: Everitt (StK) Burke (StK, capt.) Stevens (NM)
AFoll: D. Scott (Bris) Ashcroft (Bris, v-c) S. Crawford (Haw)
VInt : Sholl (Geel), Mansfield (Geel), White (Melb), Blakey (NM),
Peckett (StK), McGrath (Geel).
AInt: M. Gale (Rich), Lawrence (Bris), Martin (Foot), M. Febey (Melb),
Solomon (Ess), Kennedy (Bris).
This was not a great origin game,
the lack of pressure palpable as both
sides sliced through midfield like a hot knife through non-dairy
spread.
But it was entertaining for the 14,000 who turned up to the Gabba,
all
the same. Victoria started with Demon Jeff White in the ruck
and Everitt at full-forward. After Swans Seymour and Mooney combined
for the first
goal for the Allies, Everitt led, marked and goaled from Hocking's
pass
and Lucas was similarly set up by Knights. O'Connor went against
the
non-contact spirit by engaging in fisticuffs with Everitt before
the
giant Saint majored again, then Thompson goaled after Loewe should've
had a free. It was St. Kilda v the Allies. Brisbane's Daryl White
satisfied the crowd by pulling down a screamer and converting
for the
Allied men, but further goals for Vics Hocking (roving Everitt)
and
Thompson gave them a handy lead at the first change. The Allies
were
being slaughtered in the centre, hardly surprising given Lion
plodder
Dion Scott was their no. 1 ruckman. But they fought back with
pace early
in the second term, an Akermanis handpass set up Ronnie Burns
and he got
another one immediately, a tap-through set up by White. Ashcroft's
behind following a long run cut the Vics' lead to 14 points.
Hocking
created a goal for Loewe but on came the team without a constituency.
Cresswell dobbed one, Burns missed a couple of chances before
King was
caught in possession deep in his own defence and 'Captain Crezza'
pounced to squeeze a shot inside the post. The Vics led by just
5 points
and Hudson and White squandered chances to put the Allies in
front. Just
before half-time Lloyd kicked high into the 'square where Everitt
was
spoiled illegally and goaled from the free.
Fired by Drummy, the Allies boxed
on in the third stanza. Quick goals
from Seymour and Shane Crawford cut the Vics' lead to 3 points
and some
misses narrowed the gap to a solitary scoring unit. The players
began to
seem interested. Campbell passed to Everitt once more for a steadying
Vic goal. Matthews moved Loewe into the ruck, a move which saw
the
Natural Champions assume control. Everitt goaled again, subsequent
to a
huge mark. The Allies drew to 4 points after consecutive goals
from
Martin and Burns, but the Vics replied with 3 goals in the last
2
minutes of the term, a ripper from Lloyd, one for Johnson and
finally a
running bomb from Scott Lucas. Four straight majors to open the
final
quarter ended the contest. Mansfield got the first after a goalsquare
grab, then a Burke handpass created a running goal for Lloyd.
Some
superbly slick play from their own back pocket saw a Vic goal
for
Johnson and another Everitt goal, after an ordinary effort by
O'Connor,
saw the Mexicans lead by 46 points. It was over. Doggy Paul Hudson
managed to boot 3 late goals, the St. Kilda trio of Loewe, Burke
and
Everitt finished the game with consecutive goals for the Victoryans.
Running Footscray half-back Rohan
Smith was a surprising winner of the
E.J. Whitten Medal for the best Victorian player. He was good
charging
forward from defence, but there were several ahead of him. Gary
Hocking
attacked the ball fiercely all night and ended with with 35 possessions
and a goal, big Spider Everitt booted 7 goals as a spearhead
- didn't
get a run in the ruck - and fellow Saint Loewe (2 goals) was
a handful
both at CHF and in the ruck. Brad Johnson and Andy Thompson both
kicked
2 goals and were damaging runners, Lucas (2 goals) was also handy
in attack. At the back Tim McGrath was very good on White, thought
North
rover Anthony Stevens was a useful contributor too. Less controversial
was the choice of Hawthorn's Tasmanian rover Shane Crawford as
the
Allies' best (Alex Jesaulenko Medal), he battled hard to keep
his team
alive. Skipper Cresswell (2 goals) was also very good, attracting
plenty
of possession as always. But they struggled in attack, although
White
was spectacular he only kicked 1 goal. Burns sped about and bagged
3
goals, Lawrence and Mooney weren't bad, Blumfield played well.
Hudson
kicked 3 goals after it was over. "We just didn't have a
bloke to stand
there in the forward line and take a mark or give us a quality
crumb,"
said Damian Drum. He coulda used Carey, Hird or Richardson. Leigh
Matthews summed it up. "Everitt got us a few goals early,
that got us
the lead and he kept on kicking the important goals...Let Victorian
people have a chance to see Victoria play. I played for Victoria
a lot
of times and as a player and a coach, I reckon I've been in Melbourne
twice." Such was Lethal's comment on next year's game.
At Football Park:
South Australia 8.3 12.6 15.9 22.11.143
West Australia 4.3 10.5 15.9 16.11.107
The better of the two Origin contests, simply for the greater intensity
and commitment shown by the players. The selected sides were:
SAB: Hart (Adel) D. Wakelin (StK) Pickett (NM)
WAF: Hall (Geel) Cummings (PA) Farmer (Melb)
SAHB: Burns (Coll) Wellman (Ess) Smart (Adel)
WAHF: Abraham (NM) Donnelly (WC) Clement (Frem)
SAC: Camporeale (Carl) Jarman (Adel) Wanganeen (PA)
WAC: Woewodin (Melb) Bell (NM) Mitchell (StK)
SAHF: Rogers (Rich) Holland (Haw, v-c) Daffy (Rich)
WAHB: Gale (Frem) Jakovich (WC) Waterman (WC, capt.)
SAF: Sziller (StK) Tredrea (PA) Robran (Adel)
WAB: O'Reilly (Frem, v-c) McIntosh (WC) Wira (Foot)
SAFoll: Rehn (Adel, capt.) Ricciuto (Adel) Bickley (Adel)
WAFoll: Ball (WC) Cook (Syd) Callaghan (Frem)
SAInt: James (Adel), Pike (NM), Lade (PA), Eagleton (PA), O'Loughlin
(Syd), Goodwin (Adel).
WAInt: Chick (Haw), Sierakowski (StK), Hay (Haw), Barnard (Ess),
Schofield (WC), S. Parker (Frem).
The croweaters bounded out with
the first four goals in rapid time.
O'Loughlin handballed to Jarman for the first, then Jars set
up
Camporeale. O'Loughlin roved for another goal and Holland cunningly
shoved O'Reilly under the ball to dob one. WA woke up when Farmer
sprinted clear to kick a major, then he livened proceedings by
blueing
Wanganeen after the Port captain booted him in the guts, a weak
attempt
to free the ball from a pack. Seven's Sandy Roberts amused when
he
announced Steven Sziller was "driving the Saints into attack".
Eagleton
kicked two fine goals for SA, sandwiching a Ball major for WA.
Robran
goaled for the home team after Jakovich carried his poohouse
AFL form
into the state arena. Why he was preferred to Gaspar is a mystery.
Farmer and Abraham managed late goals to keep the sandgropers
in sight.
Robran goaled from a lead to
open the second term and the South Aussies
led by 5 goals. But WA powered back into the contest by booting
the next 6 majors. Their 'mosquito fleet' of Bell, Mitchell,
Farmer, Callaghan
and Abraham played hell with the lumbering croweaters while Sierakowski
beat Rehn in the ruck and Wira got plenty of touches in the centre.
Callaghan snaggled the first of these, Farmer and Wanganeen had
another
exchange of views before Cummings held a rare mark and passed
for
Clement to major. Bell assisted on a Mitchell goal, then Abraham
burst
through a pack in typical style and blasted to cut the margin
to 7
points. Donnelly goaled after a 50m penalty, one point the diff,
then
the yellow-booted Mitchell snapped truly and WA led by 5 points.
Their
skipper Waterman had a chance to extend the lead but hit the
post before
SA kicked the last 3 sausages of the half to pinch a break, Robran
instrumental as he created one for O'Loughlin, then booted one
himself.
The men from the west pressed
on after the long break, Barnard goaled
early. O'Loughlin missed twice as both coaches made changes,
WA
spearhead Cummings was replaced by Clement and Sierakowski went
for a
rest, replaced by Ball. SA had Jarman move into the centre. Farmer's
superb one-handed pickup allowed Clement to level the scores.
Farmer
then booted on the full but Lade's horrendous free went straight
to
Donnelly, he put WA a goal up. Jarman conjured consecutive goals
to put
SA a straight kick in front, but the hard-working Bell got on
the end of
Donnelly’s wobbly kick and scores were level again. A fairly
vigorous
and entertaining spell ensued before a long Daffy kick bounced
through,
but Farmer surfaced again to allow Donnelly to level things at
the last
change. But there wasn't a big finish. The WA runners tired and
coach
Wiley refused to bring Sierakowski back on, a confounding move.
Barnard
missed badly at the start of the final term and SA proceeded
to kick 6
consecutive goals. Some lovely handling from O'Loughlin saw him
kick the
first one, then Robran goaled after a superb grab and it was
floater-eaters by 12 points. WA enjoyed some possession but became
trapped in their own defensive half, Rehn, Smart and Lade formed
a wall
across SA's half-back line. Eventually Eagleton created a goal
for
Holland, O'Loughlin converted after a clever mark. Sziller stabbed
one
through from a goalmouth scramble and SA led by a matchwinning
31 points
with 7 minutes to go. Farmer booted the only WA goal for the
quarter.
Two SA forwards were the difference.
Fos Williams Medallist Matthew
Robran was excellent, pulling down marks at CHF and full-forward,
seeing
off Jakovich and booting 5 goals. Michael O'Loughlin also bagged
5 goals
and showed all the skills. Holland provided a third attacking
prong, he
booted 2 goals as did Eagleton. Smart and Wanganeen were very
good at
the back, Rogers got plenty of touches off half-back. Jarman
finessed
all over the place and snared 3 goals. North rover (and Fremantle
reject) Peter Bell worked very hard all over the ground for WA,
he
picked up the Graham Moss Medal. Sierakowski did superbly in
the ruck ?
he's third choice in the position for St. Kilda ? and Brad Wira
won a
mountain of kicks in the middle quarters. Jeff Farmer (3 goals),
Abraham (2 goals) and Donnelly (3 goals) were busy forwards,
Abraham had a great
duel with Pickett. "Our players gave their all," said
WA coach Robert
Wiley. "…and once you do that, you're a winner. A six-goal
margin was
not a true reflection of how the boys attacked the game. The
spirit was
there, I thought they upheld the name of WA and gave it a shot."
The
Freo job, Robbie? SA coach Russell Ebert said "The WA players
were as
committed as we were…but they had to travel and come over
here, so they
want it (state-of-origin football). And the Allies and the Vics
went
hammer-and-tongs on Friday night (err..). So I don't know what
you've
got to do to convince the people making the decisions that we've
got to
carry on the concept…you won't see a better game than that." |
